Smaller Government, Lower Taxes Under Reagan? It's a Myth

Wednesday

Jan 30, 2013 at 12:08 AM

I keep hearing the Republican philosophy of smaller government and lower taxes that was the stellar stable of President Ronald Reagan's administration accomplishment. The myth perpetrated is an outright lie.

I keep hearing the Republican philosophy of smaller government and lower taxes that was the stellar stable of President Ronald Reagan's administration accomplishment. The myth perpetrated is an outright lie.

Let us look at the facts under Reagan's administration:

Reagan nearly tripled the federal budget deficit. During the Reagan years, the debt increased to nearly $3 trillion.

Reagan grew the size of the federal government tremendously. He promised to cut government agencies such as the departments of Energy and Education but ended up adding one of the largest — the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

President George W. Bush left office with two unfunded wars, an unfunded Medicare drug prescription plan, the Bush tax cuts, and $10 trillion in debt. Was not Vice President Dick Cheney the one who said deficits do not matter? Hypocrisy at its best.

Do we have a debt problem? Absolutely. But do not solely blame President Barack Obama for this mess. And we must lower the debt by both increasing taxes and spending cuts.